All My Children Commentary

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The Best and Worst of All My Children 2013:
We've come to the end of another year, and once again we're saying goodbye to All My Children. This week we take one last look back at the things t... Read the column now...

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"Nice try," Braden said with an approving grin. "Ryan would never make a move like this." Kit shook her head, her face displaying a look of concern. Kit informed Braden that Ryan had confessed---in front of his own lawyer! Braden was in disbelief. "There was no rape and you know it!" he shouted, his nose just a few inches from Kit's. Kit seemed relieved that Ryan had finally told the truth, but Braden argued that Kit wouldn't know the truth if it "spit [her] in the face." His words were laced with poison. Kit stepped back to get away from the man, but Braden continued to step towards her. Braden had Kit pinned against the desk before he broke off his stance and left the office. A stream of tears rolled down Kit's cheek as she shook in fear.

"Do you understand what I said?" asked Ryan angrily. Gillian stood in awed silence. "You did not rape anyone," she replied, words finally returning to her. Gillian assumed that Ryan was trying to "make [her] go away" and that spouting thus horrible lie was the only way he could think of to accomplish his goal. Gillian promised not to bother Ryan again, but she wanted him to promise that he'd stop lying about the rape. "You're dumber than I thought," snapped Ryan. "You've been had. I married you for your money and because you were a good time in the sack." He then ordered Gillian to scram while she still could. Gillian froze, unable to say anything. Trevor and Hayley filed in a few seconds later. Fresh from Jack's office, Trevor touted the deal he'd made with Jack as Ryan's chance to escape a life sentence. Gillian grabbed on to the cell bars and shook violently. Had she been able to reach Ryan, she might have done the same to him. The princess pleaded with her husband not to make a mistake by confessing to a crime he hadn't committed. Trevor cast a glance at Hayley and asked her to get Gillian out of the cell block. Hayley agreed, but Gillian shouted and fussed all the way. After the women left, Trevor told his client that he has three options. The first was to accept the deal and face five to ten years in prison. The second was to stand by his confession, but nix the deal. That would result in about twenty-five years to life in a state penitentiary. The third, which Trevor seemed to be leaning towards, was scrapping the confession and heading to court. The attorney didn't expect nor did he want an immediate answer. He wanted Ryan to think about the choice that would influence the rest of his life. Alone, Ryan was unable to think of anything but Gillian. He remembered falling in love and making love to the woman he still cares about.

Adrian placed a few calls to some of his government contacts. His calls landed him a teleconference with the Governor of Delaware. Through talking to the governor, Adrian was able to learn more---or less---about the mysterious Braden. Sometime before he'd been hired by Palmer, Braden had "incorporated" himself. In effect, Braden wasn't a single man, he was a corporate empire. Like Adam has done with his many corporate takeovers, Braden used false names and multiple layers to hide his true identity. Adrian returned to the parlor and found Tad and Dixie engaging in a little undercover action of their own. With a smile, Adrian commented that he now knew why Tad hung up his private eye hat; he was unable to keep his mind on his work. Dixie hid a big smile as Tad asked his half-brother what their next course of action should be. The two men decided to head to Braden's room at The Valley Inn to look for more dirt. Shortly after they left, Braden slipped into Cortlandt Manor through a back door. He nearly caught Dixie rummaging through the files they'd gathered on Braden. Braden was distraught and he was definitely not the confident, composed man she'd been used to seeing. Dixie managed to get Braden to open up. He said that he'd had a horrible childhood and that his life had finally gotten to a point where he was happy with himself. Now, however, Braden feared that everything he'd worked for was going to fall apart. "He's trying to help me," Braden bubbled unintelligibly. He added that his whole life was about to go "down the drain because he's trying to do me a favor." Dixie looked on in a mix of curiosity of fear. She suggested that Braden should be thankful that someone was trying to help him. She gingerly pressed for more information, but Braden was no longer willing to part with anything from his private life. He chuckled strangely and told Dixie that he'd gotten over his momentary sorrow. He thanked Dixie for listening and walked towards the front door. He paused momentarily, fighting an urge to tell Dixie more of the story. He shook his head, opened the door, and walked away.

Gillian pulled a stool up to the bar at The Valley Inn. She ordered a martini, but her ordered was vetoed. Hayley poked her head over Gillian's shoulder and informed the bartender that the order should have been for two mineral waters. She escorted Gillian to a table. Once seated, Gillian pointedly, "This is a bar. You're not supposed to be here." Hayley pursed her lips together and explained that as long as she wasn't having a drink, she was permitted to be in the bar. She went on to say that she cared about Gillian as a friend and that she didn't want to have to lug a drunken princess back to Myrtle's boarding house. Gillian bowed her head slightly and remarked that she never had a friend before. "Behind each cloud there's a silver filling," Hayley smiled. Gillian sighed and corrected Hayley. "Silver lining." Hayley's eyes lit up and a big smile crept over her face. "See!" she chirped. "And they said you don't know English."

Tad's attempts to pick the lock on Braden's door fell flat. The hotel had instituted a lock system that used credit card-like keys to enter a room. Adrian smiled proudly and produced a little gadget he'd invented in his basement. He placed it into the lock and, sure enough, the door popped open. Once inside, Tad hit the closer and Adrian looked under the bed for clues to Braden's true identity. Tad found nothing, but Adrian found a suitcase full of curiosities. The bag contained volumes and volumes of poetry. The two men read over several underlined passages, but nothing seemed to offer any help to their investigation. They put everything back the way they'd found it and decided to call it a night. Tad asked Adrian if he wanted a ride back to Cortlandt Manor, which he affectionately called "The Bat Cave." Adrian shook his head, saying that he had to tend to some business of his own.

Jack walked towards Erica's hospital room, but he was intercepted by Dimitri who'd been standing guard. Dimitri told Jack that he didn't think it was wise for him to visit Erica considering the heartache that he'd caused Erica. Janet and Opal slowly walked over to the two men and urged them not to get into a shouting match outside of Erica's room. Jack worried that the trio was keeping something from him. Opal and Janet took turns telling Jack about Erica's numerous injuries. Both struggled to find the words to tell Jack about Erica's facial injuries. Dimitri warned Jack that Erica was not to know about the extent of her injuries until Dr. Hayward felt the time was right. Dimitri accompanied Jack into Erica's room. Jack looked at the bandaged patient and nearly broke into tears. Still groggy from her sleep, Erica smiled warmly when she saw Jack. Jack apologized for not having dropped by sooner. Erica looked towards Dimitri and commented that his "wall of silence" must be working. The wall she mentioned was the term they'd developed to refer to the secrecy surrounding her hospitalization. Jack was somewhat miffed that Erica hadn't phoned Travis or Bianca to tell them about the accident. He worried that the media would find out about the accident and that they---especially Bianca---would find out from someone other than Erica. Janet and Opal filed into the room just as Jack was dialing Bianca's number. Dimitri was upset with Jack for going against Erica's wishes, but Erica agreed that Bianca should hear the news firsthand. Erica was a real trooper. She listened carefully as Bianca bragged that she was trying out for the spring play and that she'd gained two more pounds. Erica offered words of encouragement to her daughter before getting to the real reason she'd called. Erica informed her daughter that she'd been in "a little fender bender" and landed in the hospital. Bianca became upset and asked if she could stop by for a visit. Erica assured the young girl that she was fine and that there was no cause for alarm. Janet, Opal, Dimitri, all exchanged glances. Erica fully believed that she was telling the truth---only they knew that things were much worse than Erica suspected. They decided that it was time to leave, but Erica asked to speak to Jack for a few minutes in private. She thanked him for visiting her and for helping her realize that Bianca deserved to know about the accident. Jack left the room. He was still very much overcome by emotions. After Erica's friends headed to their homes, Dr. Weiss and a nurse appeared in the corridor outside Erica's room. The plastic surgeon informed the nurse that he needed to remove Erica's bandages to check the extent of her injuries. He urged her not to show any type of emotion when the bandages came off. The nurse nodded and they headed into the room. Unfortunately, the nurse was unable to keep to her promise. Dr. Weiss removed the blood soaked bandages and placed them on the hospital table. The nurse's mouth quivered as she looked at Erica's wounded face. She looked away for several seconds to regain her composure. Erica hadn't observed the nurse's reaction. She smiled slightly and asked if she could have a mirror so that she could take a look at herself.

On the sun porch at Pine Valley Hospital, Stuart whittled a toy car out of a piece of wood. As his hands crafted the toy, a woman appeared behind him donned in surgeon's scrubs. Her voice purred, much like Eartha Kitt's, as she did her best to seduce Stuart. Stuart fought off the woman's advances, but she eventually got the best of him. When asked if he could spare a kiss, Stuart responded, "We better make it a quickie before my wife gets back." He turned and planted a big kiss on the woman's mask-covered face. Of course he knew that he was kissing Marian, but Marian was slightly frazzled that Stuart had figured out who she was. The couple wanted to return home for a little romance, but a dinner engagement with Liza and Adam was a higher priority. As they left, they passed Jake in the corridor. Joe wandered into the room to invite his son to dinner, but Jake was unreceptive to the offer. Being a father, Joe knew that something was bothering his son---and he correctly assumed that that something was Liza's baby. Jake told Joe that he'd had a conversation with Liza, but that the chat went nowhere. In fact, things got even worse. He informed Joe that Liza wanted Adam to be the baby's father and that he would be touted as "Uncle Jake." Joe spared the "I told you so"s, instead offering Jake a sage piece of advice. If Jake was truly upset by Adam's involvement in the baby's life, he told Jake that he should explore his options.

Two of Pine Valley's foremost legal minds toiled over a bitter divorce case. While they worked, Trevor informed Belinda that Ryan had suddenly opted to plead guilty to raping Kit. Belinda was puzzled by the turnaround. She excused herself momentarily to answer a knock at the door. Instead of the messenger service she'd expected, Belinda came face to face with Adrian. Belinda said nothing. Trevor slowly made his way towards the door, reminding Belinda that she was invited for dinner. He smiled wryly and told Belinda that she was free to bring a friend. Adrian looked around nervously, remarking that it was "kinda cold" in the hallway. Belinda shook away the cobwebs and invited Adrian into her apartment. Adrian asked Belinda why she hadn't returned his numerous calls. Belinda lamely explained that she'd been out of town. Adrian nodded slightly and asked if Belinda had been back long. "A few days," she replied meekly, adding that she'd had just enough time to do her wash and sort through her mail. Adrian surmised that returning his calls must have been next on Belinda's "To Do" list. "Actually," Belinda said shifting her eyes. "I wasn't going to call you back." Adrian's eyes grew wider. He pressed Belinda for an explanation and she was very forthcoming. Belinda explained that Adrian had promised her a three-week romance before he left town. Three weeks had come and gone and Belinda did not want to assume that just because Adrian was still in town their relationship-slash-fling was still going strong. Adrian scolded Belinda for jumping to conclusions about their relationship, something he'd gotten into trouble for doing. Adrian announced they were fifty-fifty partners in their relationship and that no one---not even "a woman as drop-dead gorgeous" as Belinda---would change that. Belinda appeared shocked that Adrian still wanted to see her. The couple wasted no time in getting reacquainted. They quickly stepped towards one another and shared a long, passionate kiss.

At the bar at The Valley Inn, Adam greeted Liza with a big hug. From Adam's somber demeanor, Liza was able to determine that his visit with Erica had not gone well. Adam confessed that he and Erica had never been the best of friends. However, with Erica's face "in ruins," Adam wanted to be there to help her through the recuperation process. Marian entered the room solo because Stuart had lagged behind to talk to a sickly palm tree in the lobby. Adam took drink orders and headed off to see the bartender. While he was gone, Liza eluded to a pothole in the road paved with happiness. That pothole went by the name of Jake Martin. Before Liza could get into any details, Adam returned and the conversation cut off abruptly. Eventually, Stuart joined the trio. This was to be no ordinary dinner date, for it doubled as a wedding planning session. Marian had a great idea of chartering a yacht and sailing to Bermuda for the wedding. Liza grimaced and stated that Baby Colby was bound to get seasick en route to the island paradise. Marian suggested that they bring the beach to Pine Valley and import sand and bikini-clad male attendants. Stuart smiled slightly and said that he wasn't so sure about the half-naked men part of her plan. Liza sighed and announced that she wanted a plain, double band ceremony. Silence befell the table. Adam had budgeted for a "six-figure" wedding and the idea of a simple ceremony seemed like a let down. Liza looked tenderly at her fiancé and told him that as long as he was by her side, she would have the best wedding possible. She chuckled slightly as she recalled that "the creme of Pine Valley society" had shown up for their first wedding---and that had been a sham! Stuart excused himself to plan a surprise. He tracked down a pianist and asked him to play the song he'd sung for Marian at their wedding. Adam dashed off to check on their table. While he was gone, Liza and Marian had the chance to discuss Jake in more detail. Liza explained that Jake suddenly wanted to be a part of Colby's life. Marian was unsympathetic to Jake's plight. She noted that Jake had made a deal to keep out of the baby's life and she fully expected him to honor that arrangement. Marian noticed "her" song playing in the background and headed off to dance with her husband. Meanwhile, Adam returned and suggested that they make Stuart and Marian godparents for Baby Colby. Liza looked down at the tabletop and muttered that she'd already promised the positions to Jake and Tad. Adam was stunned by Liza's willingness to let Jake get close to Colby.

Jake puttered through the halls of the hospital. He came to a screeching halt when he bumped into Trevor. He told the attorney that he needed to talk to him about something very confidential. To assure Jake that he'd keep mum, Trevor asked Jake for a one-dollar retainer. After securing the cash, Trevor beamed that the doctor had just hired himself a lawyer. Jake and Trevor sat down in an out-of-the-way corner of the corridor and Jake proceeded to tell Trevor all about his predicament with Baby Colby. Initially, Jake left out the names of everyone involved. Trevor didn't quite understand Jake's dilemma; he thought that Jake would be glad to be a part of the child's life without having to deal with parental headaches. Then Jake dropped off the name of the to-be father: Adam Chandler. Trevor's face sunk. His teeth gnashed together as he recounted the problems Adam has caused for Hayley over the years. Trevor explained that Adam would technically be the child's father if he and Liza married before the child was born. He stated that the practice went all the way back to days of the Magna Charta. Jake thought his chances of stopping Adam were nil, but his odds were actually better than he'd expected. Trevor explained that the first step was for Jake to get a notarized statement from the Liza stating that he is the child's father. That, he said, would put Jake right back in the running.

Discharged from the hospital, Vanessa strolled down the halls looking for Erica's room. She bumped into Janet and Myrtle and, after asking for Erica's room number and learning that the two women were friends of Erica's, asked them if they could deliver a gift to Erica on her behalf.
Inside Erica's room, Erica didn't understand why Dr. Weiss refused to give her a mirror. "I've seen myself without makeup before," she jested. The plastic surgeon requested that Erica refrain from talking so as not to tense the muscles in her face. Erica was peeved that her wishes were being ignored. Again the doctor asked her to be quiet so as not to reopen her wound. Erica's face turned pale. Up until now, her injuries had been described as minor cuts and scrapes. Erica dubbed the term wounds "ominous" and she asked to know if Dr. Weiss was holding anything back from her. "Scarring," she said strongly, "is unacceptable." The plastic surgeon looked deeply into Erica's eyes. He decided that it was time to tell Erica the truth about the nature of her injuries. He mentioned that he would probably be asked to perform "a procedure" on Erica's face. Before he could utter another word, David appeared in the doorway and silenced him with news that he was needed in another wing of the hospital. David asked the nurse to help him move Erica into a bedside chair. Outside the room, the two doctors clashed over whether or not Erica should know about her facial injuries. Myrtle approached and reminded the men that they were arguing just a few feet from Erica's room. The doctors nodded and headed off to another room to settle their dispute. Meanwhile, Myrtle flagged down Joe and warned him about the two men that were fighting over Erica. Joe offered to have a few words with Jack and Dimitri and was surprised to find out that the two men were Dr. Hayward and Dr. Weiss.
Janet visited with Erica, but found the visit flooded with question after question from Erica. Erica asked Janet if she knew anything about the cuts on her face. Janet tried to dodge the question, offering to pull out a deck of cards for a game of gin rummy. Erica wondered aloud why a plastic surgeon had been called in for a consultation. Surely the noted surgeon wouldn't trouble himself with a few cuts and scrapes---even if the patient was Erica Kane. Erica asked Janet if she had a mirror in her purse. Janet did, but she told her friend that she must have left it in her other purse. Erica convinced Janet to help her to her feet so that she would walk around the room. The exercise, Janet surmised, would be good for Erica. Erica headed towards the closet---and the mirror that was housed inside the closet. Janet couldn't offer any type of resistance because she knew that it would only make Erica more curious. Erica was startled by the amount of bandages on her face. Janet tried to make light of the situation. She reminded Erica that thanks to a plastic surgeon, she'd gotten a brand new face. So surely Dr. Weiss could fix a few cuts. Janet then mused that the reason nearly half of Erica's face was covered by bandages was because the hospital wanted to zap the insurance company with a big bill. Erica nodded and returned to her chair. Janet had done her best, but it was clear that Erica was not convinced.
As Dr. Weiss and David battled back and forth with their conflicting opinions on whether or not to tell Erica about her disfiguration, Joe and Myrtle entered the room. No one knew it, but there was another set of ears tuned into the conversation. From a spot just around the corner, Vanessa listened intently to the discussion. Her face twisted in agony when she learned that Erica's face had been very badly damaged. Joe informed the two men that, as a cardiac care patient himself, he was inclined to side with David. Everyone agreed that Erica had to learn the truth eventually, but now was not the time. David noted that there was no way to gauge how Erica would react to her injuries. Suicide, David warned, was a possibility. Dr. Weiss agreed to go along with Joe's request, but he asked to be present when Erica was finally told. The meeting broke up, but David lagged behind for a few minutes. Vanessa strolled into the room and applauded David for his performance. She implied that David only wanted to shield Erica from the truth because he did not want to tarnish his own image. David told Vanessa to hop "a slow boat or a nuclear missile" and get lost. Vanessa announced that she planned on staying in Pine Valley. Erica, she said, would need a "strong shoulder" to cry on when she learned about her disfiguration. David angrily warned Vanessa to stay away from Erica.
Alone in her room, Erica struggled to her feet and again walked towards the closet. She again looked at her still-bruised face in the mirror. "One little peek won't hurt," she said anxiously as she carefully peeled the adhesive tape attached to her bandages.

Dinnertime at Wildwind provided good food, but the conversation was not "well done." Hayley griped that everyone seemed to have disappeared---Edmund and Dimitri were "off gallivanting," Gillian lives at Myrtle's, and Ryan is in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Raquel looked coldly at Hayley and asked her to keep the "grown up talk" until after Max had gone to bed. Hayley offered to read Max a bedtime story, but her offer was met with resistance. "Why don't you like my mommy?" Max asked Hayley innocently. Hayley's eyes grew wide; she'd been completely blindsided by the question. Raquel urged her son to finish eating, but Hayley felt that the boy deserved an answer. She asked Max if he remembered how he'd gotten into a fight with Sam because Sam wouldn't share some of his toys. Adults, she noted with a smile, also get into arguments from time to time. She apologized for having raised her voice in the past and assured Max that she did not hate Raquel. Raquel remarked that the conversation was "big stuff" for Max to digest before bedtime. She headed out of the room to give her son a pre-bedtime bath. When they left, Hayley buried her head in her hands and blasted herself for emitting negative vibes to Max. Mateo tried to convince Hayley that they were all at fault when it came to arguing in front of and around Max.
Upstairs, as his mother tucked him into bed, Max asked, "Does daddy like you." Raquel was silent for several moments before replying, "He used to." She explained that Mateo had fallen in love with Hayley. To that, Max asked his mother of she liked Hayley. "No, I don't," she replied with a soft growl. "And I want you to stay away from her."

Erica delayed the removal of her bandages by talking to herself. Outside, David approached the room, but he was denied access when his mother raced down the hall towards him. Vanessa was followed closely behind by a man toting a clipboard. David labored to look at his mother, telling her that he was too busy to play her games. The man immediately apologized to Vanessa for having doubted that she was David's mother. Hr informed her that the hospital would "extend every courtesy" to her in dealing with the payment of her bill. The man headed back to accounting. David looked crossly at his mother and asked her if she had enough money to pay for her bill. Vanessa nodded feverishly and proclaimed that she had oodles of cash squirreled away in numerous bank accounts. David was relieved that he wouldn't have to bail his mother out of another jam. This was followed quickly by a warning for his mother to hit the road so he could check in on Erica. Back inside, Erica grimaced in pain as she tried to remove the adhesive tape from her face. She reached for a pair of scissors that had been left nearby. Returning to her perch in front of the mirror, Erica proceeded to cut her bandages loose. As the gauze fell to the ground, David entered the room. He called out to Erica to stop what she was doing, but he was too late. David grabbed hold of Erica's arm and escorted her back to her bed. He scolded her for walking about without a nurse's aid. Erica didn't understand what all the fuss was about until David explained that her struggle could rupture one of the sutures in her chest. Erica never saw the wound on her face. Underneath the outer layer of bandage was yet another layer of bandage and gauze. She did, however, get a peek at some brownish-yellow stain in her face. David assured her that the Betadine stains were only temporary and were used to stave off infection. While on the topic of infection, David warned Erica that exposing her wound to the air could result in some type of infection. And infection, he stated sternly, could lead to scarring. Erica grew extremely quiet. She commented that hundreds of people rely on her face for their livelihood. She vowed to be a model patient and even handed over the pair of scissors she'd used to cut her bandages. David left the room. Shortly thereafter, Vanessa burst into the room with a big smile on her face. When she looked at Erica, she gasped, "Oh my God!" Vanessa quickly pulled herself together and apologized for being rude. Erica wasn't offended in the least. She admitted that she'd been taken aback when she had a look at her face. Vanessa's eyebrows rose ever so slightly. She asked Erica if she'd actually seen her wounds. Erica shook her head and said that she couldn't see much with all of the layers of bandages. She informed Vanessa of her pledge to be a good patient, adding that David had promised her a full recovery if she behaved. Vanessa was troubled by David's apparent promise that Erica would be good as new in a few days. She commented that Erica should take David's promises with a grain of salt. She had no way of knowing that David was about to re-enter the room. When he did, David scolded his mother for ignoring the sign on the door that requested that all visitors first get clearance from the nursing staff. Erica interrupted the conversation momentarily to discuss a problem her accountant had told her about. Apparently, the check that Vanessa had written at the charity event a few weeks back had bounced. Vanessa nervously uttered that there must have been a mix-up and announced that she'd cut another check. David followed his mother to the corridor and again asked her if she was broke. Vanessa smiled and reissued her claim that she was rolling in money. She scurried off as David peered through the window at a sleeping Erica.

In the bar area at The Valley Inn, Jake told Joe about his brief meeting with Trevor. Joe listened intently, but failed to do the one thing that Jake wanted him to do---offer some fatherly advice. Joe explained that he wanted Jake to weigh his options on his own without any outside interference. Marian and Stuart happened upon the two men. Marian immediately asked Stuart to detain Joe so that she could have a few words in private with Jake. Marian yanked Jake aside and warned him she would "die a thousand deaths" before she let him toy with Liza's happiness. Jake didn't even get slightly upset by Marian's comments. Instead, he asked her to consider that he might feel the same way about Baby Colby as she does about her daughter, Liza. With that, Jake walked away.

Liza and Adam were still discussing their possible godparent choices when they entered the dining area. Adam agreed not to bring up the subject again so that Liza could have time to think. Neither was aware that Tad and Dixie were dining at a nearby table. Adam cracked that he could "remember the day when Tad couldn't even afford [a meal at] McKay's." The air grew even more frigid when Jake and Joe entered and joined Tad and Dixie at their table. Dixie and Tad knew all about Jake's change of heart regarding Liza's baby and pledged to help him any way they could. Jake chuckled slightly and asked if they could make Adam disappear. Marian scurried to Liza's side and asked to speak to her in private. Near the foyer, Marian asked Liza to come down with a case of "morning sickness or evening sickness" so that she could avert a possibly explosive situation. Liza sighed and rolled her eyes. She then told her mother that she was confident that Jake was only considering his options---and that nothing was definite. Still, Marian was sure that having Jake and Adam in such close proximity was sure to cause some type of problem. Adam asked Stuart what Marian and Liza were talking about. Stuart flubbed that Marian was asking Liza questions about the baby. Marian motioned to Stuart to join her conversation with Liza. Meanwhile, Adam was called away to speak to someone about a political contribution. Marian wanted to stick around to defuse any possible problems, but Stuart felt it was best that they return home and avoid getting involved. Liza walked towards the Martin table and asked for a few words with Jake. Jake rose and politely told Liza that he did not want to be pressured into a decision that they'd both regret. Liza pleaded with him to tell her which way he was leaning. Tad rose from his chair and escorted Liza to the bar area. There, Liza told Tad that she doesn't fully understand why Jake is so opposed to Adam being a part of Colby's life. Tad told Liza that while she was his best friend, Jake was family---and he'd have to side with Jake. Back in the dining area, Dixie pulled up a chair next to Adam and lectured him about his continued desire to strong-arm everyone around him. Raising Colby, she snapped, wasn't about love for a baby. It was about Adam's desire to get what he wanted---again. Dixie walked away and Adam immediately headed to have a chat with Joe. He asked Joe to have a "mature" conversation to discuss what was going on. Joe refused to become entangled in the situation. He did, however, warn Adam that he would be "one sorry millionaire" if he did anything to hurt Jake. Adam then turned his attention to Jake. "For some reason," Adam began, "Liza is unable to tell you this." He proceeded to tell Jake that he was no longer needed for godparenting duties because Colby would now have "a real family." As he dropped his bombshell, Liza, Tad, and Joe returned and overheard everything. The Martin clan left without dignifying Adam's remarks. Liza, however, wasn't going to be so quiet. She told Adam that he was in big trouble and demanded to know why he'd opened his mouth to Jake.

Mateo led Hayley into the dining room with his hands over her eyes. He gently teased Hayley about the surprised he had in store. The dining room was bedecked in a tropic motif---pineapples, palm trees, and other exotic items scattered about the room. When she was allowed to look at her surprise, Hayley was overwhelmed. She tried to figure out what Mateo was trying to tell her. It took her a while, but she eventually did guess the surprise: Mateo had found a location for their new business venture. The building Matt planned to lease was an old car dealer. He pulled out blueprints and he and Hayley began plotting out how their salsa club would be laid out. With a flick of a switch, salsa music echoed throughout the dining room. Mateo motioned to Hayley and they began cha-cha-ing around the room. The dancing abruptly ended when Edmund and Kit appeared in the doorway. Edmund smiled at the display, but Hayley wasn't as pleased. Kit urged the couple to continue dancing because she felt that they were great dancers. The air turned frigid as Hayley announced that this was a "private party" and Kit was not a welcomed guest. Kit had hoped that Ryan's confession would have resulted in more amicable relations for her and Hayley. She was wrong. Hayley again asserted her belief that Ryan was not guilty. Hayley stormed out of the room with Mateo a few steps behind. Hayley looked at Matt and told him that she needed to go visit Ryan. Mateo didn't object, but he urged Hayley to make peace with the situation the same way Ryan had by confessing. In the dining room, Edmund informed Kit that he felt that Ryan should receive more than ten years in jail for assaulting her. Kit didn't want to discuss the rape. Instead, she looked forward to life after the ordeal. Edmund smiled warmly and informed Kit that she'd been invited to Maddie's party---it was never mentioned, but presumably it was a birthday party. Kit's heart melted and she assured Edmund that she'd be in attendance. She wrapped her arms around Edmund's neck and gently nuzzled his cheek. After Kit left, Edmund looked up and realized that Mateo had observed the momentary display of affection. Edmund remarked that Dimitri was opposed to his relationship with Kit. Mateo didn't offer his personal opinion. Instead, he said that he was sure that Maria would not want him to be alone for the rest of his life and urged his brother-in-law to make his own decisions.

At The Pit, Jake hustled a rotund gentleman in a game of billiards. After five games of "double or nothing," the heavyset fellow owed Jake over four-hundred dollars. Winning got the better of the doctor and he began taunting the stranger. The man was not pleased and hurled Jake across the room. Jake's body crashed atop a pool table and the man put him in a stranglehold. Joe and Tad raced to Jake's aid, but the man was just too strong. Eventually they convinced the man that killing Jake would only provide him with a momentary thrill. The man pulled off of Jake and introduced himself as Mortimer. When Tad called him "Mort," he nearly found himself in Jake's position. Joe wrapped his arm around the big guy and told him a story about his Uncle Mortimer. Joe flashed a look to his two sons and led the man off to a back room. Tad scolded Jake for being a "poor winner" and told him that it wasn't smart to vent on men who could cause him permanent injury. Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from the back room. Tad and Jake raced off to make sure that their father was okay. Moments later, the three men returned to the front, but Mortimer was nowhere to be found. Joe had had a heart-to-heart with Mortimer and instilled in him a fear that his weight problem could result in permanent sexual dysfunction. Mortimer was so worried that he raced out of the bar and headed to the hospital. In his haste, though, he failed to navigate his way past a few beer kegs. After showing his sons that he was a bit of a pool shark himself, Joe joined his sons for a beer. Jake thanked Joe for being a good father and ultimately decided that he needed to be a similar role model for Colby.

Eugenia> joined Gillian for some leftovers at the boarding house. After mistakenly praising Gillian for cooking the meatloaf, Eugenia corrected herself and told Gillian that she was very good at warming up food in the microwave. Gillian was amazed that Eugenia was content with her life. At this latter stage of her life, she didn't have a penny to her name---yet she was happy with her life. Eugenia explained that having had a true love in her life made her look at things differently. Gillian wondered if she'd ever see her true love, Ryan, again. Eugenia was troubled by Ryan's confession, but chalked it up to a moment of "temporary insanity." The term caused Gillian to become very quiet. She wondered if it was possible that Ryan had a similar moment of insanity on Halloween evening. Eugenia's eyes widened and she looked at her granddaughter in surprised. "Do you?" she asked pointedly. Gillian shook her head. In spite of Ryan's confession, Gillian remained convinced that Ryan had not assaulted Kit. She headed to the phone and placed a called to Hendricks, the private investigator that Dimitri had hired and Braden subsequently fired. Some time later, Hendricks arrived at the boarding house and told Gillian that he was glad that she had re-hired him. Gillian was confused and asked if Dimitri had dismissed him. The detective shook his head and explained that Braden had been the one who'd told him that he was off of the case.

His hands in his pants pocket, Adam dodged Liza's implication that he'd done something wrong. He claimed that he was "trying to solve a problem" that Liza seemed unable to handle. The pair was still discussing Adam's tirade when they got back to Liza's condominium. Liza gingerly explained why Jake had objections to Adam raising what he now considered to be "his" child. Adam took it very well. He admitted that he'd been a bit overbearing at times, but quickly noted that he had "never sold one into slavery" or "nibbled on one when [he] was hungry." The pair chuckled and cuddled up on the sofa. Adam looked deeply into Liza's eyes and told her that he wanted to make love to her. Liza pulled back. She bowed her head and told Adam that their lovemaking would be different since she was pregnant. When she noted that Dr. Clader had assured her that having sexual relations would not harm the baby in any way, Adam knew that Liza had thought about making love to him, too. Liza headed to her room to slip into something more comfortable and Adam lit some candles. Liza returned to the room, still uncomfortable about her appearance. Adam smiled broadly and told Liza that she was beautiful and that he "desired" her. Liza tried to kiss Adam, but he pulled away. Adam told Liza that he wanted her to believe him when he said that she was beautiful. "Kiss me or the wedding's off," Liza laughed. And kiss they did. After making love, Adam told Liza that he had missed not being close to her. He rested his head gently on Liza's belly. When he did, Baby Colby kicked and Adam jumped into the air. He leaned back down and looked closely at Liza and commented, "Gee, she's really in there, isn't she?" Liza tried her best to hide her smile. "I hope so!" she giggled.

Ryan sat on the edge of his cot and looked down at the cement floor of his cell. Footsteps approached and Ryan looked up. Braden looked angrily at his brother. "You had to confess," he snarled. "I got [Kit] to drop the rape charges, but you had to screw this whole thing up." Ryan didn't think that he'd done anything wrong. He rose from the cot and walked towards the cell bars. He softly told Braden that he was trying to make up for the many beatings he'd taken for him as a child. Braden was furious with Ryan for implying that he somehow needed to be protected. Braden insisted that Kit was "a slut, a con, and a liar" and that no one would ever believe that she'd been raped. Kit, he said, had gotten exactly what she wanted on Halloween night. Then came what had been brewing for some time. Ryan told Braden that he believed that he'd been the one who'd raped Kit. Again Braden became irate. "Is that what you think I am?" he growled. "I never saw her until..." Braden stopped mid-sentence. He reached through the bars and grabbed Ryan by the shoulders. He shook him violently and demanded to know if he was "wired." Ryan swore that he was not being used for an undercover police investigation. He reminded Braden that since he'd confessed to the crime, the investigation was over. "You think you did some heroic act," said Braden of Ryan's confession. "But it's the same old crap." Braden was upset because he didn't think that anyone had to suffer for what had happened to Kit---since he felt that Kit had not been sexually assaulted. Ryan urged Braden to think about what really happened that night. Hayley appeared a few yards away and asked what Ryan was talking about. She approached Braden and introduced herself. The stern expression on her face signaled that Hayley wasn't in the mood for games. Braden introduced himself as he usually did---as Braden---but only after Hayley pressured him for the information. Braden thanked Hayley for having tried to help Ryan escape, but in the same breath ridiculed her ineffectiveness. "Who are you Braden?" Hayley asked wanting answers. Braden said nothing, He announced that he had to tend to a business call and walked towards the exit. He informed Ryan that he'd been in touch, but Ryan wasn't looking forward to Braden's return. Once Braden was gone, Hayley asked Ryan to tell him more about the mysterious Braden. Ryan refused and urged Hayley not to get involved. "If you don't want to tell me," Hayley snapped, "I know someone who will." Ryan called out to Hayley as she walked away, but it did not good. Ryan laid back down on his cot and stared at the ceiling.

You have to give credit where credit is due. Marian really has turned over a new leaf with her attempts to be the perfect grandmother to Baby Colby. She sat alone on the hospital sun porch trying desperately to knit a pair of baby booties. Adam strolled into the room and gently teased Marian about her ball of knots. Don't be mistaken; Adam didn't just pop in to comment on Marian's knitting. Adam pulled up a chair across from his sister-in-law and told her that he needed her help in ending Jake's interference in Colby's life. Adam explained that Stuart and Jake were very close friends and that Marian, as Stuart's new bride, could convince Stuart to asked Jake to back off. Marian shrugged her shoulders and informed Adam that Stuart had already announced that he wanted no part of the dispute. Adam turned on his powerful charm, grinning as he reported that he'd been the one who suggested that Colby's middle name be Marian. Stuart appeared in the doorway and yelled at his brother for bothering Marian. Marian spoke up, saying that she agreed with Adam's desire to keep Jake away from Colby. Stuart criticized Adam for once again thinking of only himself. Stuart asked Adam if he'd ever considered that Jake had developed the same feelings for Colby that Adam had. Adam cringed as Stuart noted that it was Jake who'd helped create the child in the first place. "The hell he did," Adam grumbled. The looks on Stuart and Marian's faces quickly made Adam realize that he had a lot of explaining to do. Again, Adam knew just the right thing to say. He stated that while Jake may have given Baby Colby life, he had been one who created a family for the child. Stuart refused to back down from his neutral stance. He said that he was proud of Jake for deciding that he wanted to be a part of Colby's life. "You never were very good at sharing," Stuart snapped. Stuart turned angrily towards Adam and told him that he'd better not go to Marian behind his back ever again. Adam left in a huff. Marian, who had been sitting next to Stuart, rose from her chair and took a seat directly across from her husband. Stuart detected Marian's frustration. Before he could say anything, Marian commented, "For the first time, I don't understand you at all."
Elsewhere in the hospital, Adam tracked down Joe to find out if Jake was on duty. Adam claimed that he wanted to talk to Jake so that he could apologize for her outburst. Joe thanked Adam for his thoughtfulness---although it was highly doubtful that he believed Adam was being sincere. The doctor then informed Adam that Jake was meeting with Liza to discuss what "he was going to do." After issuing the comment, Joe returned to his duties. Adam was left by himself to ponder exactly what Jake "was going to do."

The morning papers all heralded Ryan's guilty plea. Advertisers flooded WRCW with calls and concerns about advertising on a television station that had employed a rapist. Liza fielded the calls and did the best she could to keep the advertisers on board. Tad entered the office and told Liza that he didn't understand why Ryan had suddenly changed his story. Liza wasn't as steadfast in her belief for Ryan, but she also found the sudden confession highly peculiar. Tad informed Liza that he was going to go to the police station to get some answers from Ryan, but turned down her request to take a tape recorder to record the conversation. Shortly after Tad left, Jake entered the office and told Liza that he needed to speak to her. Liza pointed to a stack of papers on her desk and politely told Jake that she didn't have time to talk. When Jake announced that he wanted to talk about the baby, Liza suddenly changed her tune. Liza took a few moments to apologize to her friend for Adam's outburst the night before. Smiling, she assured Jake that she still wants him to be the baby's godfather. "I don't want to be the godfather or Uncle Jake," Jake replied in frustration. "I want to be her father." Liza said nothing. Instead, she listened as Jake announced that he wanted his name to appear on Colby Marian Martin's birth certificate. Liza's upper lip quivered as she turned her back to Jake. She reminded him that they had talked about their arrangement in detail before agreeing to proceed. Liza suggested that Jake take a few steps back and take time to consider his feelings. Jake shook his head and paced around the office. He stated that he had already thought about what he wanted to do. He noted that seeing the sonogram image of the baby caused him to develop feelings he never thought he'd have. Liza tried to address Jake's fears about Adam being a part of Colby's life, but nothing she said seemed to change Jake's mind. Jake reminded Liza that Adam had once had Dixie institutionalized in order to get custody of Junior. Liza proclaimed that Adam had changed since then, but Jake refused to believe in the transformation. "I will not sacrifice my child," Jake said sternly, meaning that he would not risk Colby's welfare on the belief that Adam had become one of the good guys. "I talked to Trevor," Jake said with hesitance. The room suddenly grew colder. Jake told Liza that he'd been advised the he has two possible courses of action. The first, he said, was much easier than the second. Liza's eyes welled with tears. That action, Jake said, was getting a notarized statement from Liza that he, not Adam, is the baby's father. He explained that he would then become Colby's legal guardian if anything happened to Liza. Tears stream freely down Liza's face. She said that she wanted Adam to be Colby's father and to assume full care if anything happened to her. Jake told Liza that if she refused, he would have to file a paternity suit in court. Outside, Adam listened closely to the conversation. Liza asked Jake if he would back off if she agreed to sign an affidavit. Jake shook his head. He said that he would never back off as long as Adam was in his daughter's life.

Tad's appearance on the other side of the metal bars didn't please Ryan in the least. He accused Tad of wanting some type of exclusive interview with him. Tad shook his head and explained that he was there for personal reasons. From there, he wasted no time in asking Ryan why he'd confessed to a crime he hadn't committed. Ryan was unprepared to answer Tad's question. When he spoke to Gillian, he knew he could convince her to stop prying by insulting her and talking down their relationship. With Tad, however, Ryan didn't have that type of leverage. Tad told Ryan that he believed that he did not rape Kit Fisher. He reminded the prisoner that he had once looked him in the eyes and sworn that he hadn't assaulted Kit. "You've been had!" Ryan exclaimed. He mustered a vicious laugh and told Tad that he'd been lying all along. Tad still didn't believe Ryan's confession. He deduced that Braden was somehow involved in the confession, but he wasn't sure how. Tad was still fuming over Braden's decision to report Kit's previous false rape charges to the paper. Ryan urged Tad not to stick his nose in places where it didn't belong. Ryan implied that Tad wasn't looking for the truth, he was trying to use him to pay Kit back for what she'd done to him in California. Tad nodded his head and sarcastically told Ryan that he was right on the money. He vowed to walk away from Ryan's case. Before he left, however, he told Ryan that he hopes his need to confess to a crime he hadn't committed is really worth ten years in jail. After Tad left, a police officer appeared before Ryan and jokingly called him "six pack," a reference to his muscled abs. He informed Ryan that his sentencing would take place next week and that immediately afterward he'd go to a cell at Statesville.

At Cortlandt Manor, Adrian walked in on Dixie while she was reading the Bulletin's front page story on---what else---Ryan's confession. Dixie put down the paper and told Adrian that she was glad that he and Tad were starting to get along. That seemed like a bit of an exaggeration to Adrian, who was skeptical that he and Tad would ever be friendly. Still, Adrian promised Dixie that he would remain optimistic and try to develop a friendship with his half-brother. Seconds later, Tad returned to "The Manor" and told Dixie and Adrian that he'd had a visit with Ryan. Tad stated that he remained confident that Ryan was innocent-but Braden was "up to his neck" in the situation.

An article about Cortlandt Electronics in the Wall Street Herald sent Braden into jubilation. Gillian entered the bar at The Valley Inn in a completely opposite emotional state. Braden approached the princess and invited her to join him for a bite to eat. Gillian groused that she wasn't in the mood to eat and added that she was surprised that Braden could even think about food after what he'd done to Ryan. Braden was silent. He had no idea what Gillian was going to say next. The nervous silence only lasted a few minutes, but it seemed like an eternity. Finally Gillian made known her allegations, demanding to know why Braden had dismissed the private investigator that had been hired to find the real rapist. Braden rolled his eyes and denounced the investigator's abilities. He touted the dismissal as a service to Ryan rather than a disservice. Braden then became angry and told Gillian that Ryan would be free if he hadn't screwed up things by confessing. Hayley hovered a few yards away listening intently to the conversation. Gillian had three questions for Braden, and they were biggies. She asked Braden who he was, why he was so interested in Ryan, and followed it up by asking Braden why she should believe anything he says. Hayley chose that moment to pull up a chair and join the conversation. Upon doing so, Hayley said that she was anxious to hear Braden's answers. Gillian spoke up before Braden could answer. She implied that Ryan had pleaded guilty to get away from her. Hayley sighed and told Gillian not to flatter herself. No man, she noted, would take ten-years of hard jail time just to get away from a woman. Palmer strolled over and scolded Braden for not being in proper work attire. He flashed a smile to Hayley and Gillian and asked the women if Braden was harassing them. If he was, Palmer assured them that he'd fire Braden on the spot. Tauntingly, Braden reminded Palmer that his contract would not allow him to be fired for any reason. The arrogance was brought to an abrupt halt when Palmer mentioned the "morals clause" in the contract. Palmer waddled off with a cocky grin planted on his face. Once his employer left, Braden was once again free to speak his mind. He argued that no one should be in jail for Kit's assault because Kit had never been raped. Hayley was puzzled by Braden's remark, but Braden explained that since there was no sign of struggle, he determined that Kit "wanted it." That said, Braden decided to get back to work. Hayley asked Gillian if she knew anything about Braden. Gillian shrugged and stated that Braden and Ryan were long-time friends who had been through a lot of hard times together. Hayley thought deeply for several moments. "This may sound really crazy," she said slowly. "But do you think Ryan is protecting Braden?"